The invention described herein was prompted by the fact that the sealed flanges of the paper containers used for milk products, made of heavily impregnated paper stock, often were found to be sticking together in a way that made it necessary to stab and cut them with a knife, even after opening them as directed, in order to get at the content. This was especially true of products such as cream and half & half which are sealed extra tight for fear of spoilage. At best the intended way of opening these containers leaves a fuzzy lip on the broken seal, most of which the application of the present invention eliminates as it leaves a cleanly cut folding spout for either pouring or drinking, and one with much improved opening and closing characteristics.
Various previously patented devices such, for example, as Carton Opening Cutter: U.S. Pat. No. 3,803,713 employing razor type blades in an open ended slot, work only in theory. The material to be cut is too tough for such a direct push-in operation. It requires the flexibility of the human hand and a sharp knife applied at a slant and horizontally to do the job right.
The outstanding proof that, so far, no satisfactory device for doing this job has been produced is, of course, that none ever has been generally available in the market place for the several decades these containers have been in use.